Chevrolet Confirms CES Debut For Silverado EV Pickup

Chevrolet is preparing to wage war with the Ford F-150 Lighting and has now confirmed that it will draw the battle lines at CES 2022 with the unveiling of the Silverado EV pickup.

When the Ford F-150 Lightning first made its debut; it shook the pickup truck market with its promises of being the ultimate companion for both work-focused buyers and consumers that want something to fit their lifestyle. While it was beaten to production by the Rivian R1T, other rivals were forced to take notice. That included Chevrolet, who revealed that the Silverado EV pickup will make its global debut at the 2022 CES event in Las Vegas.

Silverado EV Brings The Fight To Ford, Builds On Strong Features

Chevrolet limited our glimpse of the Silverado EV to one birds-eye view of the truck's roof, but the shot reveals that the Silverado will come with a glass roof panel, albeit an optional one that customers can add as an optional extra. Chevrolet reps claim that the panel is the largest in the pickup segment, and it offers better headroom and visibility than a Silverado that's equipped with a traditional roof panel.

Unsurprisingly, the glass panel largely follows the shape of the roof. Still, a prominent exception is towards the rear, where some scalloped sections help add some visual excitement to the panel. The transparent surface also provides a quick look inside the cabin, a clear departure from ICE-powered Silverado models. A large screen is mounted in the center of the dashboard, and it features analog controls that are mounted just below the screen.

The brightness and size of the screen appear to confirm that this Silverado model will be borrowing some tech tricks from the GMC Hummer EV, and that could include the Unreal Engine software that helps form the backbone of the infotainment experience. GM has said in the past that this technology would trickle down to other models from the big off-roader, and it makes sense since GM will undoubtedly want the Silverado EV (and its inevitable GMC-badged counterpart) to appeal to a broader dragnet of customers.

Ultium Power Sharpens Silverado's Fuel Economy Game

Like other GM EV products, the Silverado EV will be the latest recipient of GM's Ultium battery technology and will be built on a platform that has been engineered from the ground up to be compatible with the technology. Chevrolet claims that it will offer two flavors of Silverado EV with a retail version for the bulk of truck buyers and a commercial-focused variant designed for fleet sales.

While Chevrolet isn't ready yet to discuss the full extent of the Silverado EV's performance credentials, the brand did confirm that the Silverado EV will have four-wheel-steering available and a range of 400 miles between charges. The truck will also benefit from some recent moves that GM has made to help prepare for its EV fueled assault on the market, including the recently announced Wallace Battery Innovation Center.

Photo: General Motors

Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. In addition to his specialization with Ford, he grew up in a General Motors household and is extensively familiar with their products too. Contact Carl on Twitter at @CarlMalek3, on Instagram and Facebook for automotive news to send news tips.